Chicken with rhubarbs, almonds and spices

I just love rhubarbs and I just discovered that they suit chicken and some of my favourite spices very well. Allow about 0.5 hour for prep and 1.5 hour in the oven. I promise you it is worth it! As usual the spices should be used after taste but remember to balance them.

This recipe really deserves a good quality chicken. I know they are a bit expensive but it's really worth it. Avoid corn fed chickens. I recommend you use almonds with their skin on and remove the skin just before you use them as they have a much fuller taste. You can store almonds in the freezer or the fridge to keep them from going rancid if you as me buy them in bulk size...

Turn on the oven on 225 degrees. Take 2 handfuls of almonds and put them in a bowl. Cover with boiling water and leave to soak while you cut 1 large good quality chicken into smaller pieces; I split the leg pieces in two and the chest down the middle and then each in four pieces. I also use the back and the wings. Leave the bone on as that adds to the taste. Put the chicken pieces into a large pan skin side up and sprinkle some sea salt over it. 

Take 1 bunch of rhubarbs and cut them into bite sized chunks. Put into the pan with the chicken. Cut 3-4 cloves of garlic into quarters and add them as well. At this point you should be able to remove the skin from the almonds. Put them into the pan. Take an orange and use the peeler to get a couple of strips of zest which you also add to the pan. Cut the orange in half and squeeze the juice over the chicken. 

Sprinkle with the following spices: 2-3 sticks of cinnamon, freshly grounded cardamom, allspice, pepper and coriander seeds.

Put the chicken into the oven, leave for a couple of minutes and then reduce the heat to 175 degrees to slow cook the chicken. Leave for about 1,5 hour and enjoy the smell of spices :-)

Keep the side dish very simple like sliced red cabbage or grated carrot in order not to mess with the lovely spices and rhubarb sauce. 

Bon appetit!